Hello all, I am trying to get KMS functioning properly on a windows 2008 R2 Enterprise server. I can telnet to the localhost:1688. DNS functions properly to the SRV record. I can not install a window 7 KMS license. I get the error: On a computer running Microsoft Windows non-core edition, run 'slui.exe 0x2a 0xC 004F015' to display the error text. Error: 0xC004F015 I have done all kinds of searches for this problem. Yes, I am on Windows 2008 R2 SP1, I tried to apply Windows6.0-KB968912-v2-x64.msu, but I get "The update is on applicable to your computer" I have applied the Windows 2008 R2 KMS license successfully. Here is the output that most everyone seems to ask for: C:\Users\admin>cscript C:\windows\system32\slmgr.vbs /dlv Microsoft (R) Windows Script Host Version 5.8 Copyright (C) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Software licensing service version: 6.1.7601.17514 Name: Windows Server(R), ServerEnterprise edition Description: Windows Operating System - Windows Server(R), VOLUME_KMS_R2_B chann el Activation ID: c99b641f-c4ea-4e63-bec3-5ed2ccd0f357 Application ID: 55c92734-d682-4d71-983e-d6ec3f16059f Extended PID: 55041-00168-313-641093-03-1033-7601.0000-1662012 Installation ID: 020511433732504531882651584351466563076295213755621260 Processor Certificate URL: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=88342 Machine Certificate URL: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=88343 Use License URL: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=88345 Product Key Certificate URL: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=88344 Partial Product Key: QV9JH License Status: Licensed Remaining Windows rearm count: 4 Trusted time: 6/14/2012 5:12:02 PM Key Management Service is enabled on this machine Current count: 0 Listening on Port: 1688 DNS publishing enabled KMS priority: Normal Key Management Service cumulative requests received from clients Total requests received: 0 Failed requests received: 0 Requests with License Status Unlicensed: 0 Requests with License Status Licensed: 0 Requests with License Status Initial grace period: 0 Requests with License Status License expired or Hardware out of tolerance: 0 Requests with License Status Non-genuine grace period: 0 Requests with License Status Notification: 0 C:\Users\admin>cscript C:\windows\system32\slmgr.vbs /ato Microsoft (R) Windows Script Host Version 5.8 Copyright (C) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Activating Windows Server(R), ServerEnterprise edition (c99b641f-c4ea-4e63-bec3- 5ed2ccd0f357) ... Product activated successfully.

Hello, You cannot install a client product key on a server installation. Windows 7 KMS host keys are only valid for Windows 7 and Windows Vista machines running as KMS hosts. Windows 2008 R2 KMS host keys activate Windows 7 and Windows Vista KMS client machines, you do not need to install the Windows 7 KMS host keyThanks, Darrell Gorter [MSFT] This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights. VAMT - Volume Activation Management Tool - Download link http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=ec7156d2-2864-49ee-bfcb-777b898ad582&displaylang=en

Hello Thafemann, Additional to Darrel , you can check for KMS Group A-B-C at the following link. http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff793422.aspx And detailed information about "How to Choose the Right Volume License Key for Windows" http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee939271.aspx Sincerely, Murat DemirkiranIf the post helps you and remember to click Mark as Answer on the post that helps you, and to click Unmark as Answer if a marked post does not actually answer your question. www.scvmm2012.com (TR Language) Please note that I'm not a Microsoft Representative or SpokesPerson.

Hi, There is another video resource for your reference: Title: Set Up a KMS Host on a Windows Server 2008 R2 Machine URL: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/set-up-a-kms-host-on-a-windows-server-2008-r2-machine.aspx You will find the differences between the KMS host key and KM client key. Regards, JamesJames Xiong TechNet Community Support

Hi, There is another video resource for your reference: Title: Set Up a KMS Host on a Windows Server 2008 R2 Machine URL: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/set-up-a-kms-host-on-a-windows-server-2008-r2-machine.aspx You will find the differences between the KMS host key and KM client key. Regards, JamesJames Xiong TechNet Community Support

Hi, your KMShost looks fine, all it needs is some clients...... :)Don

So.... I have 10 Windows 2008 R2 Server licenses and about 1000 Windows 7 professional licenses. When my Window 7 computers come on line, they will automatically register with my Windows 2008 r2 server. Through some magic, all of my 1000 windows 7 computers will be just fine? Tom

All the KMS server does is keep track of a count, is it greater than 5 for servers or 25 for clients. So if you have more it simply returns count is greater than threshhold and activates machine. The client queries DNS for KMS SRV record, gets the go ahead bases on count and activates. It doesn't keep track if you have 100 or 1000 for example. So yes, they will just work.Dave Guenthner [MSFT] This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights. http://blogs.technet.com/b/davguents_blog

Thank you all, This KMS stuff is clear as mud. I read through all the different KB and forums out there and it made it even more confusing. There has to be a better way to explain how this all works. The video was great, in that it showed how to actually make a KMS host, but it did little in explaining the count, and how windows 7 machines receive a license. So, in theory, I wouldn't ever "have to" purchase any licenses? If I have 20 or 20,000 computers, they would just keep activating and running just fine? I didn't like how the VL worked, but I was use to it. This seems even more yucky. Tom

The product team is trying to make things *easier* and with that comes change. Basically you get a KMS host key from Microsoft website for your company, install that on a VM or machine you want to designate as KMS host. When you install the key, it will attempt to publish a SRV record in DNS automatically. If this is locked down in your environment, you will need to manually create the record based on documentation below. Deployment of Windows should be Volume license, so they by default use a generic product key published on technet, they are KMS clients. The clients will activate on their own, no intervention needed. The product team knows that out of box there are not enough tools, especially GUI ones so they released VAMT to help you. Keep the KMS host key private because if I recall you can only deploy the KMS host key 6 times, exceeding that will invalidate the key and you may need to call activation folks to get a new one... Most customers may only have 1 or 2 deployed, since it's light weight that is all which is needed. Once you have KMS host installed and working in DNS, it works pretty well, should be hands off. I recommend you use Windows 2008 R2 server to act as KMS host. nslookup -type=all _vlmcs._tcp Volume Activation Deployment Guide Windows 7 http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?displaylang=en&id=14903 Volume Activation Deployment Guide http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd772269.aspx Volume Activation Management Tool (VAMT) 2.0 http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?displaylang=en&id=11936 Licensing and Volume Activation http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/dd197314.aspx Volume Activation information for Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows 7 http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929712Dave Guenthner [MSFT] This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights. http://blogs.technet.com/b/davguents_blog

DNS is working fine, the kms key for windows 2008 r2 is working fine. It was my understanding that KMS was suppose to allow me to put in different keys for different workstations, servers, office product, etc, and allow all of them to connect to a KMS to get their license. If I can not put in a windows 7 license, that seems strange. I was able to put in a Microsoft Office 2010 license key into KMS, which make complete sense to me. Why wouldn't I be able to put in my Windows 7 licenses too. I was thinking this was similar to the old Terminal Services licensing server where systems actually grab a license and something keeps track of who has it. It is still voodoo magic and seems a bit vague. Are you suggesting multiple KMS servers in a single environment? I have several Windows 2008 R2 servers after "upgrading" my windows 2003 servers.

Ok, there is one piece you are missing. You can have 1 KMS server to activate Windows, the concept is based on "Volume Product Key Groups". It more or less acts like a pyramid: Server Groups A, B, C or Windows Client VL. So if you install a client KMS key you can only activate clients. If you install KMS_B key you can activate clients and servers. From your post you have: Description: Windows Operating System - Windows Server(R), VOLUME_KMS_R2_B channel So that will basically activate everything except for Itanium or Datacenter editions of Windows. This is Windows. Office is different product so you did the right thing and install Office 2010 KMS key on the KMS host. This will activate Office clients. [Supporting doc] http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee939271.aspx Does that clear it up?Dave Guenthner [MSFT] This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights. http://blogs.technet.com/b/davguents_blog

Hi, As Dave pointed it is like a pyramid. What type of KMS you are entering as KMS Host? Sincerely, Murat DemirkiranIf the post helps you and remember to click Mark as Answer on the post that helps you, and to click Unmark as Answer if a marked post does not actually answer your question. www.scvmm2012.com (TR Language) Please note that I'm not a Microsoft Representative or SpokesPerson.

It was my understanding that KMS was suppose to allow me to put in different keys for different workstations, servers, office product, etc, and allow all of them to connect to a KMS to get their license. No, KMS allows you to enter a single KMShost productkey for issuing activations to Windows KMSclients (KMSclients can be WindowsClient e.g. Vista/7 or they can be WindowsServer e.g. 2008/2008R2) and/or KMShost can issue activations for Office KMSclients (KMSclients can be Office2010 only but can be Office "suites" like STD or PROPLUS or can be Office "apps" like Visio or Project. So if you stand up a KMShost server and put both WIndows KMShost pkey on it and also the OfficeKMShostpack on it, it is a dual-purpose KMShost. If I can not put in a windows 7 license, that seems strange. You can put a KMShost pkey for WIndows7, only on a WIndows7 machine that you want to use as KMShost, but this can only activate Windows7 KMSclients. IF you want to issue activations for server OS's and client OS's, then you need to use WindowsServer2008/2008R2 as the KMShost, and that means you need to put a WindowsServer KMS pkey on that box. You can choose which KMShost pkey either Achannel or Bchannel or Cchannel the difference is which edition of WindowsServer can be activated. I was able to put in a Microsoft Office 2010 license key into KMS, which make complete sense to me. Yep, if you have installed the OfficeKMShostpack. Why wouldn't I be able to put in my Windows 7 licenses too. refer above, you don't need to install Win7 if you have already added a higher-level pkey for WindowsServer. WindowsServer KMShost pkeys will activate downlevel editions including WIndowsClient editions such as Vista/Win7. I was thinking this was similar to the old Terminal Services licensing server where systems actually grab a license and something keeps track of who has it. no it's a bit different. (and the old TS licensing server system is still applicable even for TS/RDS2008R2 !) KMS doesn't operate on a "get a license and track who has it and return it to pool when finished etc" basis. It is still voodoo magic and seems a bit vague. it's confusing for several reasons but a big one is that the word/term "client" is used to mean several different things. Are you suggesting multiple KMS servers in a single environment? I have several Windows 2008 R2 servers after "upgrading" my windows 2003 servers. multiple KMShost servers needs to be carefully planned. if you have some clients activating to KMSa and others activating to KMSb, you might fall below the activation threshold and cease activating clients. KMS is about a 10minute job to rebuild in the event of failure. KMSclients will all fairly quietly retry and usually go for long periods of time (months) before you have any visible indications of KMShost problems. even when KMSclients do complains it is very non-intrusive and end-users are not impacted with any feature/function loss (just a few dismissible messages) Don

So, in theory, I wouldn't ever "have to" purchase any licenses? If I have 20 or 20,000 computers, they would just keep activating and running just fine? KMS isn't a technical/actual/total control for compliance to agreement quantities. If you have a VL agreement which includes licenses for Volume Activation 2.0 products, like Windows or Office, then you'll most likely have a KMShost pkey to use. This KMShost pkey will let you activate millions of products, but, if you aren't licensed for millions, then you're breaching your agreement. VA2.0 via KMS also requires that your KMSclients periodically "phone home" to a KMS (yes anybody's KMS will do). So if you have roaming staff who "phone home" then KMS is fine. If you have isolated PC's which never "phone Home" then KMS is a bad choice and you should use MAK instead. whilst MAK doesn't "phone home" it may need to be validated a few times in it's lifetime.Don